The Strategic HR Engine: Powering Business Through People, Culture & Technology

Vanessa Camenzuli works at the intersection of communications, leadership, and talent management – helping organisations design cultures and shape employer brands that people don’t just understand, but experience. With over 15 years of experience, Vanessa works with public and private organisations locally and internationally to address real challenges around hiring, employee engagement, and retention. She has spearheaded numerous transformation projects spanning from mission, vision, values development, employer brand strategy and activation, employee engagement programmes to internal communications planning. 

Vanessa partners with senior leaders, HR and marketing teams to translate, their employer promise into everyday behaviours and activities.  She specialises in the alignment of HR and marketing practices for long-lasting outcomes and has also development Malta’s only accredited programme in Employer Branding & Communications together with FHRD.  Her portfolio includes organisations such as RSM Malta, GasanMamo Insurance, Nium (Global), Wildz Group, Evolution Gaming (Global), Strawberry Hotels (Nordics), the National Skills Council, and the Office of the Prime Minister, Malta. She holds a Master’s degree in Business & Organisational Psychology and is an ICF-trained business coach.

Karen Spiteri Bailey is the Managing Principal at RSM Malta, a Certified Public Accountant and Auditor, and Fellow of the Malta Institute of Accountants. She co-founded Spiteri Bailey & Co., which merged with RSM Malta in 2016, and has since led key service lines including outsourcing, payroll, indirect tax, and liquidation services.

Karen provides strategic leadership across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring delivery of high-quality accounting, VAT compliance, management reporting, and advisory solutions. Her leadership philosophy fosters an inclusive, collaborative environment that encourages innovation, reflecting RSM’s values of Excellence, Integrity, Respect, Teamwork, and Innovation.

Rachael Blackburn is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience driving transformation across public and private sectors. From 2002–2006, she delivered leadership and management training in the UAE before taking on senior executive roles at the Malta Council for Science and Technology (2009–16). 

She later served as Director, Esplora Interactive Science Centre (2016–19). Rachael joined APS Bank plc in 2019 as a Change Management Specialist and, in 2021, was appointed Head of Culture within the Chief Strategy Group. 

In this role, she leads Corporate Culture Change Management, Internal Communications, Brand and Marketing, and CSR, with a strong focus on communicating and activating the Bank’s culture as a driver of performance. She holds a B.Ed. (Hons) and an M.A. in Creativity & Innovation, both from the University of Malta.

With over 35 years of international management experience and management consultancy, Konrad Cassar Naudi supports organisations and leaders navigate complex change, drive growth and build agile, future-ready teams and leaders. Having worked in the UK, Switzerland, France, Ireland and Sweden, Konrad has held senior managerial positions in companies and organisations of diverse industries including hospitality, corporate training and management consultancy, health care and real estate. He has supported leading global brands such as Volvo Cars Corporation, IKEA and Sonoco as a management consultant. 

Today Konrad is the founder of Tailor-Made Training and Development Solutions and specialises in designing customised corporate learning and development programmes, executive coaching and mentoring as also management consultancy in organisational and business development. 

Konrad graduated from Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland and Boston University after studying Business Management in Hospitality and Digital Leadership respectively. He is a member of five leading international professional bodies all based in the UK: The Chartered Management Institute, the Institute of Consulting, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of Hospitality and Association for Coaching. Konrad brings a blend of international industry experience and academic expertise, having been a lecturer and examiner in business management programmes at two Swedish universities and served on advisory panels in Switzerland and Sweden.  Recognised for his professional contribution he has been invited to be a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.

Dr Paul Gonzi is a Partner at Fenech & Fenech Advocates and a trusted adviser to HR professionals and organisations on all aspects of employment law in Malta. With over 19 years’ experience, he supports employers across the full employee lifecycle – from drafting employment contracts and workplace policies, to managing disciplinary processes, restructurings and terminations, and representing organisations before the Industrial Tribunal and Malta’s Courts.

Paul is the founder of Employment 360, an initiative created as a practical hub designed by professionals for professionals, aimed at supporting HR teams through shared insight, discussion and real-world employment challenges. The platform draws on contributions from practitioners across the field, reflecting the evolving needs of today’s workplaces. He also advises on data protection and privacy matters in the workplace, particularly employee data compliance. Paul is a speaker at conferences and training sessions and contributes to publications, offering practical, HR-driven perspectives on evolving employment law issues.

Dasha Kosse is a Fractional L&D Strategist, Leadership Coach, and Founder of DaKo Coaching. With 10+ years of people development experience across 40+ nationalities and 6 countries, she has led over 500 sessions on leadership, communication, and culture, building learning systems that help organisations grow, scale, and transform. A global trainer, speaker and podcast guest on platforms like Deloitte and Female Founders, and a mentor for L’Oréal and the British Chamber of Commerce, she brings international scope and genuine human depth to every room.

Dasha partners with HR and leadership teams as an embedded expert, designing the coaching, L&D programmes, and systems that help people and organizations develop meaningfully. She marries the thinking of a strategic consultant with the empathy of a coach who genuinely cares about the humans in the room. Global by design, Dasha is currently based in Vienna and works with companies across Europe.

Robert Peplow is a Human Resources Manager at Attard Bros Group, one of Malta’s leading construction companies. With over nine years of experience in human resources, he has built his career working closely with individuals at every level of the organisation – from operational teams on site to senior leadership – gaining a deep appreciation of the people behind the business.

Working within a fast-paced and complex industry, Robert values the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration required to succeed. His experience has shaped his belief that HR goes beyond processes and policies; it is about understanding people, recognising potential, and fostering a culture where both individuals and organisations can grow.

Throughout his career, Robert has been involved in key areas including recruitment, employee development and retention, stakeholder engagement, workforce planning, and organisational development. His approach is grounded in practicality, shaped by the realities of a demanding and dynamic sector.